Revealed: First look at Auckland’s transport plan

Transport proposals for poorly-connected and rising suburbs ready for public feedback

For the first time, Aucklanders can see how transport-poor suburbs and areas of intense housing development will be served by newly proposed public transport lines.

Auckland Transport, Auckland Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency opened their draft plans for the Rapid Transit Network to the public for consultation on Friday.

The network consists of rail, light rail and busways that will operate at high frequency – at least every 10 minutes – and offer “very reliable” journey times, the agency said.

The services are to be built over the next 30 years and have been targeted at areas with a lot of planned residential and employment growth.

The Herald has identified up-and-coming suburbs on Auckland’s periphery that are affordable but require a hefty commute. Those included Huntly, Pokeno and Tuakau to the south, Helensville to the northwest and Kaipara, Wellsford and Warkworth to the north.

If the draft proposals are completed, these areas will be serviced by the hub and spoke network. Commuters will be able to catch a frequent bus service – at least one every 15 minutes from anywhere in the region – to a station then catch a rapid transit service.

Simplified fares, being introduced later this year, will make it easier and cheaper to connect between different services with an AT HOP card, the agency said.

Auckland Transport’s chief strategy officer Peter Clark said the plans had taken so long to come together because they were waiting for the Auckland Council to complete its housing plan and set the rural urban boundaries.